Sand exports from Vietnam extended until Jun 2010

Salt sand export extended until June 2010
VietNamNet Bridge 20 Nov 09;

The government has decided to extend the deadline for exporting sand recovered by dredging passages, estuaries and ports until June 30th 2010.

According to the guidance released on November 17 by deputy prime minister Hoang Trung Hai, from now till June 2010 is the time for custom offices and sand exporters to move the volume of sand stuck at ports because of the decision to ban the export of sand of all kinds.

Hai asked the General Department of Customs to immediately fulfill custom clearance formalities for salty sand.

Previously, businesses who had recovered this kind of sand complained to the Prime Minister and related agencies about losses of a billion dong due to the sudden ban on export.

These enterprises said that they invested in dredging projects in return for having the right to exploit and export the salt sand.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Transport, the cost of dredging estuaries and passages at seaports is over 1.2 trillion dong annually, from the state budget.

The policy that allowed enterprises to export sand in 2007-2009 has helped reduce spending while local budgets benefit from export tax, natural resource tax and environmental protection tax.

This sand is not used in construction. It is exported, mainly to Singapore, to serve sea encroachment projects.

VietNamNet/VNE